Combined vacuum-cleaner and blower.



APPLICATION IILBD MAB.23, 1914.

Patented Jan. 12, 1915.

WITNESSES:

YHE NORRIS PETERS c0. PHOTC-LITHU. L'IALHANGTON, D.

'UNTTED TATS PATENT @ldlhffilhl.

ERNEST I1. B. ZIMMER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFGBNIA.

COMBINED VACUUM-CLEANER AND BLOW/ER.

Application filed March 23, 191

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNEs'r L. B. ZIMMER, acitizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county ofAlameda and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Combined Vacuum- Cleaners and Blowers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined vacuum cleaner and blower.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of theclass described, which is so constructed and arranged that it may beused either as a vacuum cleaner in a building or for the purpose ofsupplying compressed air.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combinationof parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, havingreference to the accompanying drawing, in which the figure is adiagrammatic view showing the several parts of the apparatus connected.

Referring to the drawings. A indicates a pair of collecting chambers ofsuitable construction. in which are mounted dust bags 2 through whichthe air passes before entering the pump. indicated at B: the upper endof each bag: being connected through pipes 3. 4 and 5 with the suctionside or inlet port 6 on the pump. The collecting chambers are otherwiseprovided with inlet valves 7 and doors 8 through which the collecteddust may be removed or air admitted to the interior of the collectingchambers A.

The exhaust side of the pump. indicated at 9, is connected with aservice pipe 10 through the medium of pipes 11. 1'2 and 13. Pipe 12 isprovided with a valve 14 on its upper end and pipe 13 is similarlyprovided with a valve 15. The service pipe is also connected with theres ective collecting chambers through pipes 16. 17 and 18. and the flowof air throunh said pipe is regulated by a valve 19. similar to thoseindicated at 14 and 15. Pipe 13 is otherwise provided with a pressure sage 20 and a pressure relief valve 21. The upper end of pipe 5 isprovided with a vacuum gage 22, and one or both of the collectingchambers may be provided with vacuum relief valves as indicated at 23.

The operation will be as follows: If the apparatus is to be used forvacuum cleaning purposes, it is only necessary to close valve 15 andopen valves 14 and 19. Air will then Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 12, M5 15.

Serial no. assess.

enter through service pipe 10, pipe 16, and through the connected pipes17 and 18 into the collecting chambers A. The air then passes throughthe dust bags, on the exterior of which the dust is collected; thenpasses out through pipes 3 and 4: and pipe 5 into the suction side ofthe pump and is finally exhausted through port 9, pi es l1 and 12, andvalve 1% to asuitable place of discharge. such as the stack or flue of abuilding. The service pipe 10 may be connected with the piping of thebuilding to which the suction hose and vacuum cleaning tools areconnected when it is desired to clean the building. The dust is thuscollected on the exterior surfaces ofthe several bags and falls fromhere into the bottom of the collecting chambers from where it may beremo ed through the doors 8.

The provision of valve is simply for safety purposes, that is, torelieve the vacuum in case this becomes too strong. if for any reason itis desired to use the apparatus as a blower or compressor, it isaccomplished by first closing valves H and 19. Inlet valves 7 or doors 8are then opened, together with valve 15. The air will then either enterthrough valves 7 or doors 8, as the case may be, into the interior ofthe collecting chamhers A, then passes through the fabric of the dustbags, pipes 3 and i and through pipe 5 into the inlet or suction side ofthe pump. The air then passes out through the outlet of the pump at 9,pipes 11, 12 and 13 and valve 15. It is then permitted to enter theservice pipe 10, which, as before stated, is connected with the mainpiping of the building, or with any other appliance desired. Valves 1%and 19 being closed prevent the escape of the air through any pipeexcept through the service pipe 10.

The pressure of the air is indicated by the gage 20, while any excesspressure on the line may be relieved by the relief valve, indicated at21. The vacuum on the suction side will always be indicated by the gage22. The air discharging under pressure through the service pipe 10 maybe used for any suitable purpose to which compressed air may be applied,such as running auxiliary machinery, sand blasting operations, spraying,etc.

An apparatus constructed and arranged as here shown is especiallyadapted for use in large office buildings, and the like, as it may beused during certain hours of the day for cleaning purposes and theremainder of the time for other purposes already specified. The changefrom one operation to the other is quickly accomplished as it is onlynecessary to open or close the respective valves. The pump, indicated atB, may be driven from any suitable source of power.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is-

A combination vacuum cleaner and blower comprising a collection chamberhaving an inlet valve carried thereby, a service pipe, valves carried bysaid pipe, a pipe affording communication between the service pipe andchamber, a pump, suction connections between the pump and chamber, adischarge connection between the service pipe and pump, and a valve forthe pump discharge,

whereby when one of the valves of the 20 service pipe and the valve, inthe pump discharge are closed, operation of the pump will draw externalair through the inlet valve to the collection chamber and dis chargeconnection and thence to a portion of the service pipe, certain of saidvalves being operable upon closing the inlet valve to cut elfcommunication between the service pipe and discharge connection and toaiford communication between the service pipe, and 30 suctionconnections.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set mv hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ERNEST L. B. ZIMMER. Witnesses L. M. McDoUcALL, H. G. JOHNSTON.

{James of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

